Author Marilyn Johnson Speaks out About the Plight of Queens Libraries

Marilyn Johnson, author of the highly successful book about the state of librarianship "This Book is Overdue," has created a video to express her dismay at the proposed crippling budget cuts planned for the Queensborough Library system this summer. If the plan goes through, many branches would be closed outright or kept open less than half of the week. More than 400 library employees, some in the system since 2000, have been given layoff notices, effective in mid-August. Johnson learned first-hand how bad things were when she spoke to Queens Library employees on May 25. Later that day, a rally was held at City Hall, during which the police kept hundreds of library supporters waiting on the sidewalk, and let them in five at a time. The video can be seen at
http://www.youtube.com/terryballard#p/a/u/1/738qE2ko1aE
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For more information, visit www.savequeenslibrary.org

"Testimony given before the City Council in March forewarned that budget cuts of this magnitude would force the closing of neighborhood libraries -- 14 libraries in Queens would close. More than 400 Queens Library staff would be laid off – 30% of our workforce."

We know for a fact that hundreds of layoff notices have gone out. They are facing an absolute catastrophe.